Apparatus for detecting defects in pattern
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inspecting a pattern consisting of bright parts and dark parts formed on a planar test speciment based upon design data, said apparatus comprising:
- an imaging means for scanning the pattern to generate binary signals according to the pattern;
a first extracting means for serially extracting from the binary signal binary information corresponding to a determined area on the test specimen;
a detecting means for generating a detection output upon detecting a specific shape in the determined area on the basis of the binary information, the specific shape having a boundary line between the bright parts and the dark parts of the pattern, the boundary line including a first line shorter than the width of the determined area and two parallel lines respectively extending from the ends of the first line, respectively, in opposite directions;
a second extracting means for extracting information about the specific shape which the pattern is expected to have, from the design data with relation to the location of the determined area;
an inspecting means for checking the detection output with the information extracted by the second extracting means.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for inspecting a pattern consisting of light and dark areas formed on a planar test specimen according to design information, comprising: an imaging device for viewing the pattern to generate image information; a detector for generating a first signal upon detection that, in response to the image information, a boundary line between the light and dark areas of the pattern is bent in a determined stepping form in the direction of the plane; a memory for generating and storing a second signal, upon detection that the boundary line of the pattern has a bend of stepping form according to the design information, corresponding to the position in the imaging area of the bend in the design information; and an inspecting device for discriminating, upon generation of the first signal, the presence or absence of the second signal in the memory corresponding to the position of the first signal in the image area.
46 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inspecting a pattern consisting of bright parts and dark parts formed on a planar test speciment based upon design data, said apparatus comprising:
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an imaging means for scanning the pattern to generate binary signals according to the pattern; a first extracting means for serially extracting from the binary signal binary information corresponding to a determined area on the test specimen; a detecting means for generating a detection output upon detecting a specific shape in the determined area on the basis of the binary information, the specific shape having a boundary line between the bright parts and the dark parts of the pattern, the boundary line including a first line shorter than the width of the determined area and two parallel lines respectively extending from the ends of the first line, respectively, in opposite directions; a second extracting means for extracting information about the specific shape which the pattern is expected to have, from the design data with relation to the location of the determined area; an inspecting means for checking the detection output with the information extracted by the second extracting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for inspecting a pattern consisting of bright parts and dark parts formed on a planar test specimen based upon design data, said apparatus comprising:
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an imaging means for scanning the pattern to generate binary signals according to the pattern; a first extracting means for serially extracting from the binary signals binary information corresponding to a determined area on the test specimen; a detecting means for generating a detection output upon detecting a specific shape in the determined area on the basis of the binary information, the specific shape having an isolated portion of one of the bright parts and the dark parts smaller than the determined area and surrounded by the other of the bright parts and the dark parts; a second extracting means for extracting information about the specific shape which the pattern is expected to have, from the design data with relation to the location of the determined area; an inspecting means for checking the detection output with the information extracted by the second extracting means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification